The early history of Rome, encompassing the period of the Roman Kingdom, is largely based on tradition and legend. While accounts vary in veracity, they provide foundational narratives for Roman identity.
Timeline of Events ๐๏ธ
โณ 8th & 7th Centuries BC
The traditional founding of Rome and the establishment of the Roman Kingdom mark the dawn of this era. Early kings and foundational events shaped the nascent city-state.
754 BC
Battle of Alba Longa; Amulius defeated and killed.
753 BC (April 21)
Founding of Rome by Romulus; establishment of the Roman Kingdom.
752 BC
Romulus celebrates first Roman triumph; establishment of Rome's first colonies.
715 BC
Numa Pompilius becomes the second King of Rome.
673 BC
Tullus Hostilius becomes the third King of Rome.
667 BC
Byzantium founded by Megarian colonists.
642 BC
Ancus Marcius elected King of Rome after Tullus Hostilius' death.
616 BC
Lucius Tarquinius Priscus elected King of Rome.
๐๏ธ 6th Century BC
This century saw significant developments in the Roman Republic's formation, including the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of consular rule. Major legal and political reforms were enacted.
575 BC
Servius Tullius accepted as King of Rome.
535 BC
Lucius Tarquinius Superbus usurps the throne after murdering Servius Tullius.
509 BC
Overthrow of the Roman monarchy; establishment of the Roman Republic with two consuls. Lucius Junius Brutus and Lucius Tarquinius Collatinus elected as first consuls. Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus dedicated.
508 BC
RomanโEtruscan Wars: Clusian army fails to conquer Rome.
504 BC
RomanโSabine wars: Roman victory.
501 BC
First dictator appointed in Rome due to potential Sabine invasion.
โ๏ธ 5th Century BC
The early Roman Republic navigated internal struggles between patricians and plebeians, codified laws with the Twelve Tables, and engaged in conflicts with neighboring Italian peoples.
496 BC
Battle of Lake Regillus against the Latin League.
494 BC
First Secession of the Plebs to the Monte Sacro; creation of Tribunes of the Plebs.
471 BC
Plebeian Council reorganized by tribes.
458 BC
Cincinnatus appointed dictator, defeats the Aequians.
449 BC
The Twelve Tables, Rome's fundamental laws, are published.
445 BC
Lex Canuleia legalizes marriage between patricians and plebeians.
443 BC
Office of Censor established.
439 BC
Spurius Maelius executed for alleged monarchical ambitions.
๐บ๏ธ 4th Century BC
Rome expanded its influence through the Samnite Wars, consolidating power in central Italy. Significant political reforms continued, including the opening of high offices to plebeians.
396 BC
Marcus Furius Camillus conquers Veii; Roman soldiers begin earning salaries.
390 BC
Gauls (Senones) sack Rome after the Battle of the Allia.
367 BC
Consulship reintroduced; plebeians eligible.
366 BC
Office of Praetor established, initially held only by patricians.
351 BC
First plebeian dictator and censor elected.
343 BC
Start of the First Samnite War.
340 BC
Latin War begins.
338 BC
Rome defeats the Latin League.
337 BC
First plebeian Praetor elected.
321 BC
Roman defeat at the Battle of the Caudine Forks.
๐ 3rd Century BC
Rome's dominance expanded significantly with victories in the Samnite Wars and conflicts against Greek powers like Pyrrhus of Epirus. The Punic Wars against Carthage began, marking Rome's rise as a Mediterranean power.
300 BC
Lex Ogulnia allows plebeians to become priests.
295 BC
Decisive Roman victory at the Battle of Sentinum against a coalition of Samnites, Etruscans, Umbrians, and Senones.
290 BC
End of the Samnite Wars; Samnites subdued.
287 BC
Lex Hortensia makes resolutions of the Plebeian Council binding on all Romans.
280-275 BC
Pyrrhic War: Rome fights Pyrrhus of Epirus. Battles of Heraclea and Asculum.
264 BC
Start of the First Punic War against Carthage.
241 BC
Sicily organized as the first Roman province.
218-201 BC
Second Punic War: Hannibal invades Italy. Battles of Cannae (216 BC) and Zama (202 BC).
201 BC
Carthage accepts peace terms, ceding Iberia and paying indemnity.
๐ 2nd Century BC
Rome continued its expansion, defeating Macedon and the Seleucid Empire. Internal political tensions grew, leading to reforms and social unrest, notably the Gracchi brothers' reforms.
200-197 BC
Second Macedonian War; Rome defeats Philip V of Macedon.
192-188 BC
RomanโSeleucid War; Rome defeats Antiochus III the Great. Treaty of Apamea.
180 BC
Lex Villia annalis establishes age requirements for political office.
167 BC
Third Macedonian War ends; Macedonia divided into four republics.
149-146 BC
Third Punic War; Carthage destroyed. Achaean War; Corinth destroyed. Macedonia becomes a Roman province.
133 BC
Tiberius Gracchus, Tribune of the Plebs, assassinated.
123-122 BC
Gaius Gracchus serves as Tribune, proposing reforms; later killed.
112-105 BC
Jugurthine War in North Africa.
105 BC
Battle of Arausio: Roman defeat by Cimbri and Teutones.
102-101 BC
Marius defeats Teutones (Aquae Sextiae) and Cimbri (Vercellae).
๐ 1st Century BC
A period of intense civil strife, marked by the rise of powerful generals like Marius, Sulla, Pompey, and Caesar. The Republic transitioned towards the Principate under Augustus.
100 BC
Gaius Marius elected consul for the seventh time. Julius Caesar born.
91-88 BC
Social War: Italian allies revolt against Rome.
88-82 BC
Civil wars between Marius and Sulla. Sulla marches on Rome.
82-79 BC
Sulla serves as Dictator, enacting proscriptions and reforms.
73-71 BC
Third Servile War led by Spartacus.
63 BC
Cicero elected consul; Catilinarian Conspiracy exposed and suppressed. Pompey conquers Jerusalem.
60 BC
First Triumvirate formed by Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus.
58-50 BC
Caesar's Gallic Wars.
53 BC
Battle of Carrhae: Crassus killed by Parthians.
49 BC
Caesar crosses the Rubicon, initiating civil war.
48 BC
Battle of Pharsalus: Caesar defeats Pompey.
44 BC
Julius Caesar assassinated on the Ides of March.
43 BC
Second Triumvirate formed (Octavian, Antony, Lepidus). Lex Titia passed.
42 BC
Battle of Philippi: Caesar's assassins Brutus and Cassius defeated and commit suicide.
31 BC
Battle of Actium: Octavian defeats Antony and Cleopatra.
30 BC
Antony and Cleopatra commit suicide. Egypt annexed.
27 BC
Octavian receives the title Augustus; beginning of the Roman Empire (Principate).
โญ 1st Century AD
The early Roman Empire, known as the Principate, saw consolidation of power under emperors like Augustus and Tiberius, expansion, and significant cultural developments, but also periods of instability and succession crises.
AD 14
Death of Augustus; Tiberius succeeds him.
AD 41
Emperor Caligula assassinated; Claudius succeeds him.
AD 64
Great Fire of Rome; Nero begins construction of Domus Aurea.
AD 68-69
Year of the Four Emperors (Galba, Otho, Vitellius, Vespasian).
AD 70
Siege of Jerusalem by Titus; destruction of the Second Temple.
AD 79
Eruption of Mount Vesuvius destroys Pompeii and Herculaneum. Death of Vespasian; Titus succeeds him.
AD 80
Colosseum completed.
AD 96
Assassination of Domitian; Nerva becomes emperor.
AD 97
Nerva adopts Trajan as successor.
AD 98
Death of Nerva; Trajan becomes emperor.
๐ 2nd Century AD
The era of the "Five Good Emperors," including Trajan and Hadrian, marked a period of relative stability and prosperity. Hadrian consolidated the empire's borders, notably with Hadrian's Wall.
AD 113
Trajan's Column erected.
AD 114-117
Trajan's Parthian campaign; Mesopotamia annexed.
AD 117
Death of Trajan; Hadrian succeeds him. Hadrian withdraws from Mesopotamia.
AD 132-135
Bar Kokhba revolt in Judea suppressed. Province renamed Syria Palaestina.
AD 138
Death of Hadrian; Antoninus Pius succeeds him, adopting Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus.
AD 161
Death of Antoninus Pius; Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus become co-emperors.
AD 165-180
Antonine Plague devastates the empire.
AD 166
Roman-Parthian War ends with sack of Ctesiphon.
AD 169
Death of Lucius Verus; Marcus Aurelius rules alone. Marcomannic Wars begin.
AD 177
Marcus Aurelius names his son Commodus co-emperor.
AD 180
Death of Marcus Aurelius; Commodus succeeds him. Antonine Plague ends.
AD 192
Assassination of Commodus.
AD 193
Year of the Five Emperors; Septimius Severus eventually secures power.
AD 197
Battle of Lugdunum: Septimius Severus defeats Clodius Albinus.
๐ฅ 3rd Century AD
A period of crisis known as the Crisis of the Third Century, characterized by civil war, invasions, plague, and economic depression. Emperors frequently changed due to military coups.
AD 212
Constitutio Antoniniana grants Roman citizenship to nearly all free inhabitants of the empire.
AD 217
Caracalla assassinated; Macrinus becomes emperor.
AD 222
Elagabalus assassinated; Severus Alexander becomes emperor.
AD 235
Severus Alexander assassinated; Maximinus Thrax becomes emperor, beginning the Crisis of the Third Century.
AD 238
Year of the Six Emperors; Gordian I, Gordian II, Pupienus, Balbinus, and Gordian III rule briefly. Maximinus Thrax killed.
AD 251
Emperor Decius and his son Herennius Etruscus killed fighting the Goths at the Battle of Abritus.
AD 253
Valerian becomes emperor. Plague of Cyprian continues.
AD 260
Valerian captured by the Sasanian Empire. Gallic Empire breaks away under Postumus.
AD 268
Claudius Gothicus defeats Goths at the Battle of Naissus. Gallienus assassinated.
AD 270-275
Reign of Aurelian, who reunites the empire and builds Aurelian Walls around Rome.
AD 274
Battle of Chรขlons: Aurelian defeats Tetricus I, ending the Gallic Empire.
AD 284
Diocletian becomes emperor, ending the Crisis of the Third Century.
โ๏ธ 4th Century AD
The Tetrarchy established by Diocletian aimed to stabilize the empire. Constantine the Great reunites the empire, issues the Edict of Milan granting religious tolerance, and moves the capital to Constantinople.
AD 301
Diocletian issues Edict on Maximum Prices.
AD 303
Diocletianic Persecution of Christians begins.
AD 305
Diocletian and Maximian abdicate.
AD 306
Death of Constantius Chlorus; Constantine the Great acclaimed emperor by troops.
AD 311
Edict of Serdica grants religious tolerance. Death of Galerius.
AD 312
Battle of the Milvian Bridge: Constantine defeats Maxentius.
AD 313
Edict of Milan issued by Constantine and Licinius, granting religious tolerance.
AD 324
Constantine defeats Licinius, becoming sole emperor.
AD 325
First Council of Nicaea convened by Constantine.
AD 330
Constantinople dedicated as the new capital.
AD 337
Death of Constantine the Great; empire divided among his sons.
AD 361
Julian the Apostate becomes emperor.
AD 363
Julian killed in Persia; Jovian becomes emperor.
AD 378
Battle of Adrianople: Emperor Valens killed fighting the Goths.
AD 380
Edict of Thessalonica makes Nicene Christianity the state religion.
AD 395
Death of Theodosius I; final division of the empire between Arcadius (East) and Honorius (West).
๐ 5th Century AD
The Western Roman Empire faced increasing pressure from barbarian invasions, culminating in the deposition of the last Western Roman Emperor in 476 AD. The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire continued.
AD 406
Vandals, Alans, and Suebi cross the frozen Rhine into Gaul.
AD 410
Visigoths under Alaric sack Rome.
AD 451
Battle of the Catalaunian Plains: Romans and Visigoths under Aetius defeat Attila the Hun.
AD 455
Vandals under Gaiseric sack Rome.
AD 476
Odoacer deposes Romulus Augustulus, the last Western Roman Emperor; traditional date for the fall of the Western Roman Empire.
๐ฆ Byzantine Era
The Eastern Roman Empire, later known as the Byzantine Empire, continued for another thousand years after the fall of the West, preserving Roman traditions and law.
AD 527-565
Reign of Justinian I; codification of Roman law (Corpus Juris Civilis), attempts to reconquer Western territories.
AD 553
Second Council of Constantinople.
AD 626
Siege of Constantinople by Avars and Persians.
AD 717-718
Siege of Constantinople by Arabs repelled.
AD 867
Start of the Macedonian Dynasty, a period of resurgence.
AD 1054
The Great Schism separates the Eastern Orthodox Church from the Roman Catholic Church.
AD 1204
Fourth Crusade sacks Constantinople.
AD 1453
Fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Turks, marking the end of the Byzantine Empire.
Study & Review ๐ก
๐ Understanding Roman History
The timeline illustrates the vast scope of Roman civilization, from its humble beginnings as a kingdom to its transformation into a republic, and finally, a sprawling empire that shaped Western civilization. Key themes include political evolution (monarchy to republic to empire), military expansion, legal development, and the eventual division and decline of the Western Empire.
๐๏ธ Key Periods
Understanding the distinct phases is crucial:
Kingdom (c. 753 BC โ 509 BC): Legendary period of seven kings.
Republic (509 BC โ 27 BC): Governed by elected consuls and the Senate; period of major expansion and internal conflict.
Empire (27 BC โ AD 476 [West] / 1453 [East]): Ruled by emperors, initially the Principate, later the Dominate.
Byzantine Empire (c. 330 AD โ 1453 AD): Continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire.
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A full list of references for this article are available at the Timeline of Roman history Wikipedia page
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Historical Context Disclaimer โ ๏ธ
๐ Important Notice
This page presents a timeline of Roman history based on information derived from Wikipedia. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and comprehensiveness, historical accounts, especially for early periods, often rely on traditional narratives that may contain legendary elements or varying interpretations.
This is not a substitute for scholarly historical analysis. The information provided is for educational and informational purposes only. Users are encouraged to consult academic sources and engage in critical evaluation of historical data. The creators of this page are not responsible for any inaccuracies, omissions, or interpretations of the historical events presented.
